What Hurts the Most
by Ashi Ruby
Summary: Sometimes the most painful thing can be the most special. And on her birthday, Sakura's pain turns around into happiness. Songfic! SasuSaku. Please R&R!


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the song What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts.

Author's Note: Despite the song, the fic isn't all sad. ;)

What Hurts the Most

It was Sakura's birthday, and the day of the annual Konoha Mystery Ball.

She sighed as she looked at her dress. It was a pale blue, embroidered with slightly-darker blue flowers over its skirt. The top was the same color as the flowers, with sheer short-sleeves the same as the skirt. On her nightstand was a dark blue ribbon, to oppose the light color of the dress, and black dress shoes rested by the side of the bed. "Well, I guess I'll have use of Ino and Hinata's gift," she said.

* * *

"H-how do I l-look?" Hinata asked, feeling shy in her new dress. It was violet all over, the top sparkling in the light and the long, billow sleeves sheer around her arms. "You look so beautiful!" Ino said. "Yeah. I'm sure Naruto's jaw is going to drop," Sakura said, slipping on her stockings. Ino tied her hair back in a bun with a black ribbon before showing off her red-and-black sleeveless dress. "Ta-da! I'm going to be the best dressed there this year," she said.

"We'll see, Ino-pig."

"Billboard brow."

"G-guys, please d-don't fight."

Sakura slipped into her blue dress, and tied her hair in the ribbon. "Wow, you got the right size, Ino," she said, slipping on her shoes. "You look so beautiful, Sakura! I'm sure quite a few guys will be wanting to dance with you," Ino said. Sakura was silent as she picked up her gold mask. Hinata slipped on her shoes as Ino grabbed her shawl.

_'The person I want to dance with won't be there...'_

Downstairs, Naruto and Shikamaru were waiting for the ladies to come out. They decided to go as a group, so that way Sakura wouldn't be going to the dance alone. Bored, Naruto pulled off a feather on his mask and tickled Shikamaru's cheek with it. He quickly became mad and hit the troublemaker on the head. "Stop being so troublesome," he said, relaxing again.

"Hey, guys!" Ino said coming out from the bedroom, dragging Sakura and Hinata with her. As she said, Naruto's mouth dropped at the sight of Hinata, who felt shy and stood closer to the wall than necessary. Shikamaru did the same at Ino, and Sakura just sighed. "You all look great!" Naruto said, saying the only words that could come to his head. "Well, come on! We don't want to be late!" Ino said, placing on her mask. The others did too and they left the place, making sure Sakura locked the door behind them.

* * *

_At the dance..._

"Hi Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, noticing his teacher by the punch bowl, of course reading one of his books. Despite wearing his tuxedo, he still wore the mask over his face and the eye mask he wore, unique to him alone, had a patch over his one eye, covering his Sharigan. "Oh, hello Naruto. I guess I stick out well enough for you to find me," Kakashi replied. "You're the only one here with two masks," Sakura said with a laugh. "True. My, how beautiful you look Sakura. I see that you found a dress to your liking," her teacher replied.

"Oh, I didn't pick it out. Ino did. It's for a birthday present."

"Yes, today was your birthday wasn't it? Well, happy birthday."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"Hey," said a young boy, his face almost completely covered by his mask. He had black hair that seemed to rest around his shoulders, as if it was too long to want to stand up, and his eyes were the color of onyx, "May I get some punch?" Kakashi moved out of the way as Naruto and Sakura just stared at him. He quickly departed from the scene, his drink at hand.

_'No way...I swear, for a moment, he almost looked like...'_

The dance dragged on, almost until midnight, where the masks are revealed. Sakura danced a little to the faster-beat songs, but sat out whenever there was a slow song. Everyone had a partner, even Kakashi, who chose to dance with Anko when he wasn't reading his dirty book. Sakura sighed as she ran her finger over the flowers on her dress.

"All right, folks! This is the last song before the masks are revealed, so guys, chose your girl and dance along with the music!" the DJ announced, preparing the next slow song. Sakura sighed again, "Happy birthday to me."

As the music was about to play, she saw a hand extend to her. She looked up to see the same boy from earlier, in his silent way asking her to dance. She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. He placed his arms around her waist as she did around his neck as the music began.

_I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house _

That don't bother me

_I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out_

_I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while_

_Even though going on with you gone still upsets me_

_There are days every now and again I pretend I'm ok_

_But that's not what gets me _

"You don't dance much, do you?" he asked her, whispering so that only she could hear him. "No," she said bluntly, feeling a bit guilty for her tone.

"You should. You'll be the most beautiful thing on the dance floor."

"I've been saving my dances, for the most part, for one person."

_What hurts the most _

Was being so close

And having so much to say

And watching you walk away

And never knowing

What could have been

And not seeing that loving you

Is what I was tryin' to do

"One person who's no longer here, I take it."

"He left a long time ago. I doubt he'll ever come back."

"And you still wait for him? My, how romantically pathetic."

"I know. But I love him with all my heart, and I...don't want to let him go."

_It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go _

But I'm doin' It

It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone

Still Harder

Getting up, getting dressed, livin' with this regret

But I know if I could do it over

I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart

That I left unspoken

"Maybe one day he'll come back."

"I keep hoping he will. He's been gone for three years now."

"What's his name?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

_What hurts the most _

Is being so close

_And having so much to say _

And watching you walk away

And never knowing

What could have been

And not seeing that loving you

Is what I was trying to do

Sakura was near tears, leaning on him in hopes they wouldn't fall. Mentioning his name was painful enough, tearing her heart into two. He noticed her struggle and gently touched her face, a part not covered by her mask. "Don't cry. When you dance with someone you don't cry," he said.

"I'm sorry...I just...I miss him so much. I love him, even thought he doesn't love me."

"Maybe, somewhere inside, he does, just can't tell you."

"If he did, why did he leave me?"

"Maybe he was afraid."

_What hurts the most _

Is being so close

And having so much to say

And watching you walk away

And never knowing

What could have been

And not seeing that loving you

Is what I was trying to do

Sakura's tears fell on his hand. "He doesn't love me. He left for power, not because he hated me," she said bluntly, starting to cry. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You'll never know what other things rest inside him. You have to remember that. Don't cry, Sakura. Inside, I'm sure he loves you too, as much as you love him," he said.

_And not seeing that loving you _

Is what I was trying to do

The music ended and the dancers clapped – except for Sakura and her partner. He still held her close as she tried her best to stop crying. "All right, couples! It's midnight, which means it's time to reveal the faces behind the masks!" yelled the DJ.

Sakura took off her mask, revealing her tear-stained cheeks more prominently in the light. He stood there as she took off his mask, and gasped at the face underneath. "Oh my..."

"Surprised?" Sasuke said with a smirk on his face. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried, jumping up on him to give him a hug. "You've returned! You came back! Oh, Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed, her tears starting to fall again.

The room almost went silent as they pulled back and Sasuke put his hand to her cheek again. In a quick moment, he kissed her lips, surprising her into kissing him back. As he pulled away, he met her teary, curious eyes. "I told you, somewhere inside I loved you; I just couldn't tell you," he said with a smirk. Sakura sighed softly and rested against him. "Happy birthday," he whispered into her hair, and Sakura leaned up to kiss him again.


End file.
